Hotels and Motels in Rural Alberta

The podcast from CBC Radio of a 27 July interview by Portia Clark with Perry Batke the President of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association reveals a stark reality for the accommodation services sector in rural Alberta. In the interview Mr. Batke paints a very sombre picture for hotel operators outside the mountain parks and major cities. The words used by this industry representative include “dire situation,” “in jeopardy,” “life savings,” “unprecedented,””helpless and hopeless feelings,” and “industry in crisis.” Batke also observed that he has not seen the situation as bad in the 23 years he has spent in the industry, including during the financial crisis.

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About albertarecessionwatch

Former Director, Institute for Public Economics, University of Alberta and currently Fellow of the Institute. Former executive with Alberta Treasury Branches. Worked for the Alberta government for 12 years with Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs and Alberta Treasury. Areas of focus: financial institutions legislation and policy, government borrowing, and relations with credit rating agencies. Ph.D in Political Science (Uof A), Masters of Public Administration and BComm. (Carleton University). Author of Politics and Public Debt: The Dominion, the Banks and Alberta's Social Credit. Presently working on study of Alberta provincial agency board appointments.